"The problem with Microsoft's latest approach is that the company is gambling on consumers seeing past the Office confusion, and betting that PC makers will start creating high-quality devices. Unlike the netbook era, there's a huge choice of tablets these days. If time has taught us anything, it's that confused consumers will go elsewhere."

If MS wants to sell small, low-cost Win x86/RT tablets by bundling Office on them, it needs to demonstrate one unique use-case which any potential buyer will instantly 'get':

1. Remove tablet from pocket/satchel/purse and place on desk next to a bluetooth keyboard and 20" HDMI monitor.

2. Plug in the monitor and hit any key on the keyboard.

3. Tablet automatically turns itself into a multi-touch trackpad and a familiar Office UI pops up on the monitor. Presto: instant 'Office workstation'; no need for klunky beige box.

4. Profit.

Not only would this be a eye-catching trick that no iOS or Android device can do, it'd also turn Office's biggest failing - that its current UI utterly sucks on touch into an actual selling point, since 'existing Office UI' means 'no retraining required'.